Merry-go-round



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,106

- J. G. C. AKERS MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Dec. 11. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1awozmq [if-o I r the casting Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED PSTAZTEISQ JOHNNY e. c. .AKERS, or WALLACE, NEBRASKA.

- MERRY-GO-ROUND.

Application filed pecex nber ll, 1926. Serial No.f154,194.

This invention relates to merry-go-rounds and has for an importantobject thereof the provision of a device of this character which ispropelled by the occupants thereof.

An important object of the invention is to so construct the, device thatit may be readily propelled and that rotation thereof may be readilychecked by anvoccupant.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction ofmerryg'o-rounds of this type, as regards the placement of the necessarysupporting seats and racestherefor to permit the seats to actto preventdisplacement of the braces, due to the strains to which devices of thischaracter are subjected- A further object of the invention" is the Vprovision of a device of this character of such construction thatbearings about whichfthe device rotates are fully protected from theweather.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will be readily and cheaply constructed and which willbedurable and eflicient'in service.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose offillustration is showna preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein: p

Figure 1 is a plan viewof a merry-goround constructed in accordance withmy invention; i Figure 2 is a section on the 1ine2+2 .Of-Figure 1;

Figure 3 1s a section on the line 33 of Figure 2; I v p V Figure 4 is afragmentary side elevation showing the manner of connecting the seatboards to the arms and braces;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the endsof the seat boards and the platesapplied thereto. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, thenumeral 10 generally designates a base, at the center of which isarranged a casting 11 having a central upstanding circular flange 12.The body of this casting'is connected with the outer corners of the baseby braces 13. Seated at its lower end upon ,is'a vertical shaft'14 andatube 15 surrounds the lower end of this shaft and fits against and isthreaded to the flange 12. The upper end of the tube provides a seatfora rotor base 16 which has an aperture 17 through which the 11' andfitting within bearing 11 n shaft 14 is directed and hasabout thisaperture at ts lower "facea flange 18 into which the up- PATENT}OFFICE}:

per end of the tube isthreaded. The rotor base 16 is preferablyconnected withthe outer ends of. the braces 13 and with the base bybraces 19. Upon theupper surface of the rotor base is formed a'circularflange, 20 which is spaced from the edges of the opening l'Z'to providea'housing for a thrust 'beara 3 'ing 21. I o

' 'The numeral'22 designates a lower rotor casting having an axialopening 23 rotatably receiving the haft 14. The lower end of the hub ofthis-rotor casting abuts the upper surface of the thrust bearing 21 tobe supported thereby and the lower surface of this castmg closelyoverlies theupper edge of the flange 20 and extends well outwardlythere- 'fromQso that the entrance of rain, water and dust to the bearinghousing is prevented. The under surface of the rotor casting 22 isformed with an ear 24 to which is secured one end of a brake band 25,the opposite end of which is connected by an adjustable link 26 A to alever 27 pivotedto the ear. This band embraces the flange 20 of therotor base. and provides a means, whentightened, for holding the'rotoragainst rotation withrelation to this base. V i

The lower rotor for engagementwith the lower end of a tube casting has aflange 28 upon 1 its upper surface, which is interiorly threaded 29surrounding the shaft 14 in spaced relation thereto, this tube having anopeningj30 in its'side wall throughfw'hich; lubricant may be introducedto the bearings ofthe lower rotor casting. The upper end of the tube isthreaded into a flange31 on the hub, 31 of an I 1 upper rotor casting32, which hub has an openlng 33 through which the shaft 14 is directed.The upper ends of the bores 23'1and 33 are counterbored, as at 34, forthe reception of roller bearings 35. The upper surface of the hub isabutted by awasher 36 held in position upon the upper endof the shaft bya threaded sleeve v37, which provides means for connecting shaft a stafformast 38. v

Bolted or otherwise secured ends to the lower rotor casting are aplurality of seat supportingarms;3 9;jw hich extend radially; fromthecastingfand are approximately horizontally disposed. Secured at theirinner ends. to the upper rotorca'sting tojthe upper end ofthe at theirinner between in parallel relation tothe seats and,

are arm braces 40, which extend outwardly and downwardly from the uppercasting and have their outer end's bolted to'the' associated seatsupportingarins adjacent the outer ends thereof, as at l1. Seat boards42 provided, each of these boards seating atits ends upon plates 43secured to the ends of the associated seat supporting arms 39. -Oneofthese bolts securing the plates in position is preferably the bolt 41"securing'the adjacent extending'through the seat board 4-2. 'In this1nanner, the seats, seat arms and seat braces can be rigidly secured toone another and there is no tendency to twist betweer'rthe upper andlower castings of the rotor sections.

The braces 40' are further rigidly secured to one. another b'ybars '50extending thereat such, 21} point that they provide backs for the seats;From one of the arms 49,21; lever 51 is pivot-ally mounted at a pointconvenient to the adjacent seat boardaLQ and this lever is conne'c'ted'with the lever 27', as at 52 ,t o'provide for operation of the brake". Aplatform 53 is preferably placed'i'ipon the upper surfaces of the arms39', so as to preventany accidental contact with the base structure.

It, will beobvious that a construction of this character may beV'ery'readily and cheap- 1y produced and due to 'the'f'a'c't that thebeanings thereof are h0us ed, will ive excellent service. While therener" bearings 3 5 are preferably employed, these maybe omitted if gil's cdesired that a cheaperstructure be pro- IICQ' i i i Since many;cha-nges are pessible in the con- J structio n' here-interns set for 1without mate'- muy depar ing from the pirit of the inven- I tion; Iv donotlimit myssir w such specific structure eXcept. as hereinafterclaimed.

1. In a merry-go-roun'dta base-structure, a shaft arigin tlierefrom,rotor structure engaged \vith the shaft and inc'luding upper and lowercast-ing s', ajtube surrounding the shaft maintaining the upperandlowercasting s spaced' relation and againstrelatilve rotation, armsextending outwardly from lower castings, braces outwardly and downwardlyfrom the upper casting and s'ecured to said arms at the outerendsthereof and sea-reconnecting the oute'rends of saiid 'arins'to oneanother, said seatsbeing rigidmann re ers a es 311121 s es' fls mentwith said; braces preventing o cillation 6f the braces Waitresses to the2. In a merry-go-round, a ba'sestructure, a shaft arising therefrom, arotor structure engaged with the shaft" and including npper andlowercastings, a, tube surrounding the shaft and maintaining the upperandlower castings in. sp aced: relation, arms extending outwardly fromthe lower casting, braces eX- I 'tendin 'outwardl and downwardl fromthe.

upper casting and secured to said arms at the outerend's thereof,seatsconnecting the outer ends of saicl arms tonne another, a brakeflange carried by the base strufcture'and ex tending upwardly toward thelowerrotor casting, a brake band carried the lower rotor casting and:surrounding sa d flange and means operable by an occupant 01510 1 6 ofsaid seats for constricting theubandupon the, I

drum.

3. In a merry-goround, a base" structure, a

shaft arising therefrom, a rot'or structureenr gage d with the, shaftand'including upper andfllower castings, atube surrounding the shaftand'maint'aining theupperand lower V castings in spaced relation, armsextending V oiitwardlyfrom the lower cast1ng,.braces extendingoiitwardly and 1 downwardly," from f the upper casting andsecured tosaid arms at the outerends thereof, seats coiinecting the other ends ofsaid 'arm's to one another, a

hrake flange carried hy the base structure and extending upwardly towardthe lower rotor casting, a brake bandicarriedi by the lower rotorcastlng andsurmund md flange, means operahl'e by an-occupant'off' one oof said seats for constricting'thebandupon the flange, said flangecombining with the.

lower rotor castingandthe base structure to produce housing anda thrustbearing within said housing upon which] the lower rotor casting rests.

I 4. In a1merry gofround,.a base structure, a

shaft arising therefrom, a rotor structure engaged with the shaft andincluding upper,

and lower castings, a tube surrounding'the shaft and maintainingtheupper and lo'we'r castings in spaced relation and"against relat verotation, arms extend ng outwardly from the lower castin g, bracesextending outwardly and downwardly from the upper castingfand secured tosaid arms at the'outer .ends'thereof and seats connecting theouterendsfof said arms to one another, a plate secured to the outer end ofeach of said arms upon which adjacent ends of seat sections engage andto which the adjacent nds ofthe seat sec- '5, In a r g mundab'ase'structure,

a shaft'arisin therefrom, ,a r;otor trr'ieture engaged with, the shaftagndiincludingnpper 'tions are secured, adjacent ends of'the seat andlower castings, a tilbe surrounding the shaft maintainingthe upper andlower castings in spacedrelationand against relat'iye rotation, arms,exteadm o'iitwardly from the lower casting, braces extending outwardlyand downwardly from the upper casting and secured to said arms at theouter ends thereof and seats connecting the outer ends of said arms toone-another a plate secured to the outer end of each of said arms uponwhich adjacent ends of seat sections engage and to which the adjacentends of the seat sections are secured, adjacent ends of the seatsections being notched to receive the ends of the brace associated withthe arm, the securing means connecting the outer ,ends of the braces'tothe arms extending through said plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHNNY o. AKERS.

